Meter-reading device



Feb. 4, 1930. x w. M. wElss v METER READING DEvloE'` Filed Jan. 25, 1929 ,f 'g mms3-Belwin@ DEVICE- e -My inveifitionr'elatesltoj meteri receptacles characters indicatej like 1 on' corresponding or-housin'gs'and moreparticularly it lrelates` parts: j if Vtohousings -for meters which vareV adapted Fig. `1 is af---s'e'ctional yiewf'tlirougli the de tobeilocated adjacent the exterior Wall of Viceofrnyinventionjtaken onliiiewl--lffof 5 a-buildin'g-in Whichl-'tlieylare mounted, suc-li FigiQg/Q as, for example, the basement roomof'a ,Figs'Zs afvieW on 'fthe"linel'2;2billig.:I;A dwelling'orthellike to enable `the'metersto r f3 lisa LView along the lii"1e3"-"`8o`i"-Fig.

be read from the exterior of the building.' 2;- and e, A V- Y i' e In suchd'evices', asheretofore constructed, z f Fig; 'isiadetailof construction dra n lt-oV t y1G diicultylias been experiencediinreading thek a'larger-scaleJg- -Jav fi slk. meterfromthe outside,because'tlie illumina yIl y'fReferring' nowv to: thec draWliifi-gs," then ution'of the space about-the meter is usually meral 10 generallydesi-gnates'afhousing or ofless intensity thaii'tl'iefliglit` immediately receptacle" inV JWhichga '-Water-iiieteri' 1l' 1,1'anl surrounding the outside observer, and one electric'meter- 112rand agasnieterfl s-arevposif-i i5 object yof the invention is theprovisionof tioned; The mainreceptacl'eor*housingmein-l `improved meansy operable to reflect the outber-l0 isshown as positionedad-jacent afbase:` side' light directly,v upon the meter, thereby mentwall 16 .and v,la ssupportedl on ljvb'raclets providing the meter with' substantially the Theyvall 1,6-may,"howev'r,befany-ex lsame intensity ,of illumination as thatfof the teriorr or any partition tWal-l;closiiigoif the l e126 space' occupied by. the outsideobserven' A' room in which themete'rsare locatedl -y '75 portionfof such a receptacle Amust necessarily 'f The'rd'evicemales itipracticable to read'the' extend througligor into the Wall of the build- `meters Withoutientering thefroom'lfin which ngrandvoplievent therpassagejof Outside theycaremountedg,gThefreceptaclelOis pr0;`

y, air' into;L-the vreceptaclerequires a glass-l o'r vided-for tliirspurposefwithlanupperzlateral- H25 otherztransparent outer Wallfor closing the. "lyi extending member 11715, iwhiclifprojects I projecting' portion.,l :Where'glassf has been through-the'WalLVVV `flhe 'rear.porti'oii'fofy the 'provided inthe? usual manner@.forfsucliref housing-l0 SgShOW'naS'open butvm'ayg'iflde- 3. cepta'clleshey become frostyinicold Weather Sred, bei closed --either =bya1 solid 'Wall 'orby and murky" andfcloudy 'in damp z Weather, doors which permit access to the' meters. The

30 under Which conditions vit is sonfietinfiesim-l lateraly extensionfl Vis closed-'by apaneof da possible tosread thedneter, andanother ob- 'gla'SSIIVl-T 4moi'inted'nearV its outer eI1'd.-The. ject Qf the invention' 'is t() provide a, Closed glSSlTfSllelCl lIlvpOSltOra/gaDS-'/ husing'of'the class ldescribed so arranged l? by 2l detellt member 20".'l-A1secondlpane and'constructed as to permitfmeters to be read 'O glass 18. Smalll'cthan the Palle 17 'PS- pane i 17 andi is similarly' held in vposition ofweatlier; f r f against a iframe 121 *byy a detentmember#22.`

,Still another kObject;isbthe provisio'ii'f'ofy `improvedmeansforreiiecting the exterior light directly upon the meter dials.` 1' f 'Many other objects and-'advantages of the construction herein shownanddescribedWill i be' @am to einemthm-erom isattrattiirrealeamar they'dlsclosure'herein gwnr temperature being cooler l1thanltheli-'outside l l45. To this end my vinven ion consistsin the temperatura v- I f t f' A r' 5i novel construction, ariangem'entv and combi` Theumeters A11,112.

'closures between! which" is an! airifchamber f therethrough duringV any- :ndaucondbns tioned inwardly-"ailshort distance from''th'e' 51: j

The tWo panes of glass Hand-18 form inner f 30. The chamb-eif130-prevents frost ,gathereli- Y f ing on either' oftheapanesofg-glass duri-ng* .v i f nation of parts herein shown and described pgsitionedneaythe,uppeppofingof Ytharg; f

more particularly Apointed out theV ceptaclelogsog toubereasly ,gegend/f1@ claims. l .l l point :slightly above'thetopiportion 50- In the drawings, wherein like reference receptaclews gif' *if if# The laterally projecting portion-15 of the receptacle has a cover 23 forming an outer closure member. The cover 23 is hingedly mounted at its lower end and is provided at its upper end4 with a latch 24. Suitable means for locking the cover in closed position may be placed on the outside of the device, itv desired. Achain 25 permits the cover 23 to be lowered to an angle of substantially 45 in which position an observer on the outside can-readily see the dial `races of the meters. The inner face of the cover 23 is pro-l vided with a mirror 26 for the purpose of reiecting the exterior light longitudinally inward upon the dial faces of the meters and enablesthe meters to. be read more easily. A coatfof white material can be substituted for the mirror as. a reiiecting means if desired. In the position shown for the cover 25, the meters are in the path or' the reflected rays 'of light-and are thereby subject Nto the best conditions of illumination from the exterior. Y

The panes of glass 17 and 1,8` are so mounted as toV be removed from the exterior and thereby permit easy access to the interior of the receptacle. The detent members 20 and 22 for this purpose are pivotally mounted at, one Vend on a screw 27, or the like. The screws, 27 are fastened in the vertical side walls -ot the frames 19 and y21. The side walls of the frames 19 and 2l `are each provided with apertures. 28; which permit. the detent members 2 0 and 22 to be posi-V tioned therein when it isdesired to remove the panes 0i glass A17in-ndl8xii01' '2buy `purpose. The vdimensions'oflthevouter glass 17 andv its mounting in the pane 19 are preferably greater than the corresponding di men'sions of the glass @and itsmountmg 21;, therebjy insuring the easy removal and replacement of the panes 17 'and 18. Thus it will be seen that I have provided means enabling meters, positioned. in the basement of dwellings, apartments,-etc., to be read from the exterior, thereby avoiding the necessity of permitting the building to be entered for that purpose. Y Having thus described l--my invention, it 'is obvious that various immaterial modificationsmay be made in the :sa-me without y'departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence lido not wish to :be-understood as` limiting myself to the exact Jform, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and. described, Vor uses mentioned.

. What I claim, as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: y,

1. A device of the class ldescribed comprising a. mainhousing member, Aa lateral extension memberfopening into said main housing member, a plnrality of i-spaced .apart transparent.. :closure members forming air chambers in said extension member, an

opaque closure member hingedly mounted tofopen outwardly and downwardly'at substantially an angle of 45o to the extension member, and light reflecting means on the inner face of said 4opaque closure member.

2. A device of the class described comprising a main housing member, a lateral extension member openingintov said main housing member, an'opaque closure member hingedly mounted to open outwardly and downwardly at substantially an angle of 45 to the extension member, and lightreflecting means on'the inner face of said opaque closure member. Y

3. A device of the class described comprising a main housing member, a lateral exthe inner closure member andits mounting, a

plurality of detent fastening means for said closure members operable from the .outer end of the extension member to permit the removal-'outwardly of said closure members, an

opaque. -closure'member on theouter end of the extension member, said opaque closure member being hingedly mounted to open outwardly and downwardlylat anangleof 45 to tne extension member, Vand light reflecting means on the inner face of said opaque closure member. Y Y v Y Y 4. A device of theclass described comprising a main housing member, a 4lateral exten.- sion member opening into the mainhousing member, aV plurality of transparent vertical closure members forming air` chambers in the extensionl member, rabbeted annular frames providing mountingsffor the closure members, a plurality Yof detent membersY p'ivotally mounted on the :trames operable to hold the closure members in vertical position, the exposed exterior portions o said frames being notched to provide recessesl adapted to.l receive `said detent members: when they are swung out of operative holding positions, the dimensions of the outer closure member being greater than the corresponding dimensions of the adjacent closure member, an opaquev Yclosure member'hingedly mounted to open outwardly and downwardly atsubstantially an angle of 45 to the extension member, and light reflecting means on the inner Vtaceof said closure member, Y

In witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my name this 12th dav of January A. D., 1929.

. V'ILLAM' lVl. WESS'. 

